A stunning debut from a writer I'm excited to read more from. Essential fiction for anyone wavering on the edge of a decision about whether to start a family, as well as anyone struggling to figure out the meaning of life.

What a premise. 'When Lia lays an egg she doesn't know what to do.' In all honesty, I wasn't sure if this book might be a little bit out of my comfort zone but I thought it was a brilliant read. Lia is at that age when the pressure is on to decide whether she wants to have children. Her internal clock is ticking away but when the time comes for the alarm to sound she doesn't know if she will spring into action or simply turn over and go back to sleep, carrying on as she always has. It doesn't help that her friends, her mother, her partner, all keep asking her what she wants. Fledging begins with Lia birthing an egg and from the very first page this is a compelling and honest look at the big question that women face. She's also dealing with her mother's terminal illness and her partner, David, is working away for months so she's on her own with this existential crisis whilst trying to launch a career in songwriting. Rose Diell writes beautifully of Lia's relationships with both her mother and the contents of the egg. The themes explored truly consider choice, the weight of expectation, and motherhood and whether it is simply a woman's role in life to procreate, in a thoroughly convincing way. This unusual and original novella of 172 pages packs a mighty punch, serving up a surreal event within the confines of a normal life. I'll be looking out for more by this talented author.